Corsage T-Shirts

Designer Elizabeth Kartchner shows us how to create your own Corsage T-Shirt.

This is such a cool, trendy topic that we are seeing everywhere in the fashion world right now… taking a simple t shirt and adding handmade details and flowers. Anyone can do it and I’m sure you are going to love it!

Corsage T-Shirt #1: Cream shirt with Grey, Magenta, & Teal Flowers

This one I made 5 different rosettes. You can do this with scraps of fabric from home or if you head over to a fabric store you only need an 1/8″ of a yard in either a knit cotton or a twill–those are what I prefer.

Instructions:
First I used my die cutting machine and flower dies to cut a large and smaller fabric flower.

Then, I layered the flowers (about 10 layers) and folded the flower in half.

Next, with the flower folded use a needle and thread to add a few quick stitches along the bottom of the flower. Turn it over and open up your flower and the stitches have now made the once flat flower bloom and come to life.

Last, You simply sew these flowers onto the right neckline of your shirt.

If you don’t have a die cut machine for flowers, Martha Stewart has a great template here.

Corsage T-Shirt #2: All Cream Flowers on Sweet Pea Green Shirt

For this shirt, you will need:
• About 1/8 of a yard of a cream knit fabric.
• Pearls and clear or silver sequins
• Die cut or hand cut flowers.

Instructions:
First, die or hand cut your flowers

Next, start pinning your flowers to the left side of your shirt

Try on your shirt and see if you like the placement. When you are happy with them, take off your shirt and use a needle and thread to attach not only the flower but pearls on top of sequins in the center of the flowers.

To take it a step further. Take a large flower die cut and follow the instructions in #2 to add dimensional flowers to some of the flower centers. It gives it a touch more detail and texture.

Corsage T-Shirt #3: Trim it Up!

Using trim found at a fabric store to dress up a neckline with flowers.
A great way to add more detail and class to your T-shirt is to find a cool trim at your fabric store. They did all the hard work for us! All we need to do it to sew it along half of a v-neck tee then add some flowers on top.

Corsage T-Shirt #4: Circle Flowers

Cut 3 different sized circles then layer to create flowers
Also, tone on tone is simple but a strong statement. Try matching your flowers to the shirt!

Designer Tip: Down East Basics is one of my favorite places to find a great basic T-shirt. www.Downeastbasics.com